Wabash College

College Sustainability Report Card 2009

The Environmental Concerns Committee, consisting of faculty, students, and administrative staff, seeks ways for Wabash to incorporate the environment into decision making and operations at the college. The committee advises the administration on what steps should be a priority for future resources.

The college has taken some measures to improve energy efficiency and utilizes a central heating and cooling plant, benefiting from the efficiencies inherent in that type of system. The main boiler plant operates at between 83 and 85 percent efficiency in heat generation. One building uses a two-stage, 100 percent exhaust HVAC design, reconditioning the air in two phases through the building.

Dining services purchases from five local suppliers, including a dairy. All eggs are purchased from a local farm, all coffee is fair trade and organic, and some sustainably produced meat is offered. The college facilitates the recycling of office waste and also recycles electronic products.

The college has requested that its designers prepare a LEED review as part of the design development process to compare building projects against LEED guidelines. Some LEED Silver design strategies have been selected for use in projects, although certification has not been sought.

Interested students may participate in green initiatives at Wabash through Students for Sustainability.

The campus motor pool includes several flex-fuel vehicles. Students for Sustainability has maintained a fleet of about ten bikes that are available for use around campus at no cost. The program depends on the ability of the student group to maintain the bikes.

The college has no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or its shareholder voting record.

The college aims to optimize investment return and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The college has not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.